Feast of Winter Veil (December 15 - January 2) Guide

Feast of Winter Veil is hitting servers in the early morning so get prepared to drink some Winter Veil Egg Nog, sit by your Cozy Fire, and open your Stolen Present--wait, what? Is that a new type of present we've found in the database? That's right, like many holidays as of late, Blizzard's changed the classic Winter's Veil into their new format featuring a daily queue and some new prizes. There's also a new holiday gift waiting for you under this year's tree, so this is one holiday you don't want to miss!

2011 Changes

World of Warcraft's version of Christmas has been more or less the same for several years now minus the unique gift every year is known for. This year it has been changed fairly significantly so before we get started with the guide, we'd like to get these out of the way.

If you've done the holiday in the past, you've likely saved Metzen the Reindeer a few times from a band of intrepid Iron Dwarves who kidnapped him or a group of marauding pirates in Tanaris depending on your faction. This year, however, he's become kidnapped by The Abominable Greench who decided to upgrade from past year's petty larceny to kidnapping everyone's favorite Blizzard employee--I mean reindeer.

As such, the questline You're a Mean One... has accordingly become a daily, in which you save Metzen each day for a Stolen Present which has a chance to presumably contain holiday items as well as an extremely rare chance to contain Lump of Coal which can summon Lumpy. While it is a daily, you do not queue to save Metzen; rather, you treck to Hillsbrad and find the Greench there. He is an untaggable NPC--when he dies, gift bags spawn that any players can loot. As long as you loot a bag and speak to Metzen within 5 minutes of the Greench's death, you will complete both relevant quests.

Another change is that the seasonal pets from this year and the past as we previewed a few months back got some holiday cheer. They now have animations when out of season to hearth (Green Helper Box), melt away (Snowman Kit), and be less festive (Jingling Bell). Presumably this means they have special animations for the season as well, so be sure to take those guys out--remember, they no longer cost a Snowball to summon so you have nothing to lose!

Last but not least, this year's reward from underneath the tree in your faction's capital city is a Gaudy Winter Veil Sweater. Oh, Blizzard. And if you don't want it, you can always exchange it through the optional quest Thanks, But No Thanks. This sweater also comes with its own achievement to serenade enemy capitals (A-Caroling We Will Go).

Festivities

All of Azeroth and beyond have gotten into the spirit of Winter Veil! Winter Revelers (such as Blood Elf Female Winter Reveler) can be found inside inns throughout the world located under a sprig of mistletoe. Simply /kiss a Reveler (it doesn't matter which gender) and you will be rewarded with a token of their gratitude. You can only /kiss a Reveler once every hour, as you will receive a debuff along with whatever gift they've granted you, which can include:

These items are used in various Winter Veil achievements (as detailed below).

Become a Little Helper!

In addition to the Smokywood Pastures vendors located inside the cities, the goblins have set up strange PX-238 Winter Wondervolt machines which can be used to change your character into a festive Little Helper! The buff lasts for 30 minutes but is removed by shapeshifting or death (another sad holiday to be a druid). You can refresh the duration of the buff at any time by stepping into the Wintervolt machine. You can also do this to change gnomes costumes until you get one that you like. This disguise is required to complete the achievement With a Little Helper from My Friends.

The winter hats also have an extremely low chance to drop from any humanoid mob in the world; I wouldn't hold your breath but who knows--you could get lucky! In previous years, both heroic bosses (but not normal ones) in Northrend and Cataclysm dropped hats--it should follow the same trend in 2011. If you're unlucky winning rolls, seems your best bet is to try to solo a Northrend heroic boss.

Crafting Recipes

Players with Leatherworking, Tailoring or Cooking may find that they've received mail from Greatfather Winter written on festive stationary. Oddly enough, the Alliance Greatfather sends the gifts to both factions - a free recipe! Tailors will receive either Pattern: Green Winter Clothes (Horde) or Pattern: Red Winter Clothes (Alliance), Leatherworkers will receive Pattern: Winter Boots and Cooks will recieve Recipe: Hot Apple Cider. There are certain skill level requirements for each recipe to be mailed, but if for any reason you did not receive a recipe, don't worry--the recipes can be purchased at vendors in the major cities, as listed below.

Stolen Present is a new reward for turning in this quest--it has a small chance to contain Lump of Coal which summons Lumpy! Remember, it's a daily quest in 2011 now, so you can have a shot every day at this pet. The other rewards are toy items Jepetto Joybuzz sells. It's too bad Lump of Coal isn't BoE, like the other holiday pets now are.

Once you have turned in the Stolen Treats, you will receive another quest:

Seasonal Goodies

There are a number of items that are only available during the Feast of Winter Veil. Smokeywood Pastures vendors can be found in all major cities selling a variety of holiday goodies, including a plethora of food and drink items, wrapping paper, and even some seasonal recipes! Please note that the three of the recipes are Bind on Pickup, and as such (of course) cannot be sold or traded. This means that it is not easily possible for Horde players to obtain Pattern: Red Winter Clothes or for Alliance players to obtain Pattern: Green Winter Clothes.

However, since the vendors are enterprising goblins, belonging to the Smokywood Pastures "faction," they are all friendly to both Horde and Alliance. This means that the most intrepid reveler can manage to sneak into the opposing faction's city and purchase all recipes. You can even stay mounted up while purchasing them, for a quick getaway.

If you aren't a crafter or you're not very keen on flying around the other faction's city, the holiday clothes are not Bind on Pickup (or even Bind when Equipped) and therefore can be bought, sold and traded via the Auction House.

Food & Drinks

Smokeywood Pastures food and drink vendors can be found located near a faction's Auction House in every major city. Copperpinch vendors can be found in Horde cities, and the Jinglepocket vendors can be found in Alliance cities. An additional Copperpinch vendor can be found in Shattrath City, Olnayvi Copperpinch.

General Goods

Smokeywood Pastures "general goods"-style vendors can be found right next to the food/drink vendors. Copperpinch vendors can be found in Horde cities, and the Jinglepocket vendors can be found in Alliance cities. An additional Jinglepocket vendor can be found in Shattrath City, Eebee Jinglepocket.

Patterns

In addition to the seasonal goods listed above, the vendors located in the two major cities (Orgrimmar and Ironforge) will also sell a tailoring pattern to create festive winter clothes and a leatherworking pattern to create matching boots!

Achievements

With each event comes new achievements every year, like A-Caroling We Will Go! There's also a player title granted to those who can obtain 11 core achievements--Merrymaker! Some are easy, and others more of a challenge, but here's everything you need to know to be on your way to becoming that much more festive.

Merrymaker or This achievement can be found in the main World Events achievement category and is awarded upon completion of all but one of the Winter Veil achievements. This achievement awards the player title 'Merrymaker' and is a requirement towards completion of (Alliance version), which rewards Violet Proto-Drake.

A-Caroling We Will Go or A-Caroling We Will GoUse your Gaudy Winter Veil Sweater to carol in enemy capital cities during the Feast of Winter Veil.Note: This achievement is not required for , as the Gaudy Winter Veil Sweater is only available during 2011's Winter Veil. It has its own Feat of Strength: Gaudy Winter Veil Sweater.This achievement requires you to use your 2011 gift to carol in four enemy capital cities--it can only be completed during Winter Veil. You can fly into most of the enemy cities without dying or aggroing any guards. Make sure you don't complete Thanks, But No Thanks, or else you'll get Scrooge's Payoff instead of your fashionable sweater!

BB King or BB KingPelt the enemy leaders listed below.Note: This achievement is not required for , as the Red Rider Air Rifle was only available during 2009's Winter Veil. A recent Feat of Strength was added, Red Rider Air Rifle. This achievement was added in 2009's Winter Veil and can only be completed with a Red Rider Air Rifle (obtained from the 2009 Winter Veil gift). You must use the gun to pelt each of the opposing faction's leaders - how mean! First snowballs, now BBs? What ever happened to respecting authority? Thankfully, this achievement is not required for any other achievements. It an also be purchased (as well as pellet refills) from Jepetto Joybuzz!

Crashin' & Thrashin'Gain 25 crashes with your Crashin' Thrashin' Racer during the Feast of Winter Veil.Note: This achievement is not required for .This achievement requires you to have obtained the Crashin' Thrashin' Racer Controller from the Winter Veil presents, available on and after December 25th. To complete this achievement you must "crash" 25 other racers. The controller functions similar to a Crashin' Thrashin' Robot, only with a single ability: Racer Rocket Slam! Out-slam another player's Racer to earn a kill towards the achievement. You can battle against the same Racer multiple times to count towards this achievement, the car is (of course) not destroyed or damaged in any way and simply must be re-summoned. (If you really like collecting achievements, purchasing a Blue Crashin' Thrashin' Racer Controller from Jepetto Joybuzz and fighting will award it too!)

Fa-la-la-la-Ogri'laComplete the Bomb Them Again! quest while mounted on a flying reindeer during the Feast of Winter Veil.For this achievement, you must be able to do the Sha'tari Skyguard quest Bomb Them Again!. Complete this quest while mounted on a flying reindeer during the Feast of Winter Veil. You can change your flying mount into a reindeer by using either Fresh Holly or Preserved Holly, obtained from /kiss'ing Winter Revelers or from quests detailed above, respectively.

He Knows If You've Been NaughtyOpen one of the presents underneath the Winter Veil tree once they are available.This achievement was awarded retroactively to players who had items or achievements related to any previous years' gifts (such as the Clockwork Rocket Bot feat). To obtain this achievement, simply log in at any point from December 25th to January 2nd and obtain a gift from under the Winter Veil tree in either Orgrimmar or Ironforge.

Let It SnowDuring the Feast of Winter Veil, use a Handful of Snowflakes on each of the race/class combinations listed below.During the Feast of Winter Veil, use a Handful of Snowflakes on the following race/class combinations:

Orc Death Knight

Tauren Shaman

Undead Rogue

Gnome Mage

Blood Elf Warlock

Human Warrior

Night Elf Druid

Troll Hunter

Dwarf Paladin

Draenei Priest

Simply look around in any major faction city, or a battleground, and you'll probably end up with all of the combinations needed. Handful of Snowflakes can be obtained randomly from /kiss'ing Winter Revelers.

Scrooge or ScroogeThrow a snowball at Baine Bloodhoof / King Magni Bronzebeard during the Feast of Winter Veil.Both tauren and dwarf take Winter Veil very seriously, so what better way to show your complete lack of holiday cheer and respect than by smashing either Baine Bloodhoof or King Magni Bronzebeard in the face with a Snowball during the Feast of Winter Veil.

With a Little Helper from My FriendsEarn 50 honorable kills as a Little Helper from the Winter Wondervolt machine.For this achievement you must earn 50 honorable kills while transformed into a Little Helper from the Winter Wondervolt machine. Remember that the disguise is lost upon death or shapeshift, so this achievement might take a few tries to accomplish, but thankfully the killing blows are cumulative --just be ready to visit the Wondervolt between battles if PvP isn't your forté.

Comments

Comment by Adamsm

on 2011-12-15T10:16:05-06:00

You know, would be 'more' fun if the Greench was in LFD, but that said, it's quite an amusing fight; just have to watch out for the Snowman who freezes you, the Christmas Tree he rushes and does a pounding leap on top of, and that damn Heart Shrink debuff which randomly stuns you.

Comment by Strafer

on 2011-12-15T10:47:39-06:00

Does the Green winter hat drop from the new hour of twilight dungeons?

Comment by Adamsm

on 2011-12-15T11:04:57-06:00

The Wrath Heroics still drop the hats; just got the Red one off of the Nexus Heroic boss.

Comment by shamanwars

on 2011-12-15T11:18:56-06:00

Sweet :D

Comment by Treetog

on 2011-12-15T11:30:48-06:00

I don't think this guide is updated as you guys say. Winter Revelers have been removed from the game! The information here is old.

Comment by Adamsm

on 2011-12-15T11:33:01-06:00

I don't think this guide is updated as you guys say. Winter Revelers have been removed from the game! The information here is old.

Comment by Heirline

Comment by brionl

wow i thought its gonna be easy but the merrymaker achieve is bloody tough! I have to do a zillion quests to open up bombing run and also go farm for the hat!

You don't have to do all the group quests. Just go up to Ogri'la and do 3 or 4 quests until you get the Bomb Them Again (the daily version, not the first time you get it).

Comment by jumbodog

on 2011-12-15T13:22:53-06:00

"He is an untaggable NPC that works much like the Molten Front elites do--where anyone in the area gets quest credit upon its death."

This information is not complete. I have made a post in comments section of the mob but I will add it here too.

Both Metzen and the bags are on a five minute respawn timer. So long as you talk to Metzen and and loot the bags within that five minute window after the kill you will get credit towards the quest. You don't even have to be in the zone when he is killed.

Comment by zobley

on 2011-12-15T14:14:15-06:00

To be clear, you don't have to do anything to save Metzen, with some good timing. I flew to the location and looted the goods and talked to Metzen to free him. There was no sign of the Greench.

Comment by Adamsm

Comment by taggme

but the item wasnt listed.. though it is obtained only during/because of the holiday =P

Comment by Adamsm

on 2011-12-15T18:02:37-06:00

It also doesn't mention you can get the 2007 Clockwork Robot pet and get the Feat of Strength to go with it.

Comment by baradiel

on 2011-12-15T18:45:18-06:00

Hello everyone, Im having problems doing the achievement Fa-la-la-la-Ogri'la, i tryed following the first comment's steps to start the chain Bombing Run but Grok doesnt give me any quest at all, i dont remember if i did any of these quests but i think i didn't. If someon can help me please, Thanks!

Comment by Adamsm

on 2011-12-15T18:54:40-06:00

Fly to Ogri'la.Pick up the quest to get 5 shards.Do the quest to attune to a Relic.Take the quest to go to Skyguard Outpost.Do the Bombing Run.Do Bombing Again.

Comment by baradiel

on 2011-12-15T19:01:06-06:00

I already have the Daily quests that gives me 15 shards.

Comment by Adamsm

on 2011-12-15T19:02:19-06:00

Did you go to the Skyguard outpost to the north of where the Ogres are? Because it's them who give the quest, not the Ogres.

Comment by baradiel

on 2011-12-15T19:06:05-06:00

Yes i did but they dont give me any quest.

Comment by Adamsm

on 2011-12-15T19:13:30-06:00

You get the quest to go there after you do the one where you attune yourself to the relic. Don't know why it's not working for you; ticket a GM to see if they can figure it out.